Missoula, Montana– March 2024– The Boone and Crockett Club announced today that they have officially launched their online education platform to teach hunter ethics. Thanks to a grant from the National Rifle Association’s Hunters’ Leadership Forum (NRA-HLF), a team of Boone and Crockett Club Fair Chase subject matter experts and educators formulated the world-class online learning experience to help communicate the importance of Fair Chase ethics when hunters head to the field.
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The Fair Chase and Hunter Ethics curriculum takes a deep dive into the roots of conservation, the value of hunting within the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation, and the importance of Fair Chase ethics.
“We are very pleased to team up with the NRA-HLF to offer a world-class digital education experience on the topics of Fair Chase and hunter ethics,” said Luke Coccoli, director of conservation programs for the Boone and Crockett Club who led the development of the curriculum. “This code of ethics is essential to showing respect for the game we hunt and forms the foundation for our responsibility to wildlife and wild places.”
Fair Chase is the ethical, sportsmanlike, and lawful pursuit and taking of any free-ranging wild game animal in a manner that does not give the hunter an improper or unfair advantage over the game animals. To be clear, Fair Chase isn’t just about what is legal or illegal Fair Chase can be subjective and represent different ideals for every hunter.
“The concept of Fair Chase is just as important today as it was over 120 years ago,” said Tony Schoonen, chief executive officer of the Boone and Crockett Club. “Most Americans are neither pro-hunting nor anti-hunting. Most of them are on the fence. As hunters, we are all ambassadors for our sport. When we hunt ethically, we will garner more support from the general public and help ensure our hunting heritage continues for generations into the future.”
The Fair Chase and Hunter Ethics curriculum is a free online course to teach students about the rich tradition of Fair Chase, helping them understand responsible and ethical hunting. It builds a foundation of principles, which allows those who take the course to define their own ethical standards. Upon successful completion of the course, students will receive a certificate of achievement and the opportunity to obtain a “Hunt Fair Chase” challenge coin as a testament to their commitment to ethical hunting. “Since the days of Theodore Roosevelt and the founding of conservation in this country, hunters have had a code of ethics in their pursuit of wildlife,” said NRA-HLF director Peter Churchbourne. “This ethics education curriculum is essential to ensure that the current generation of hunters understands and operates under this code.” This free online course aims to continue that longstanding tradition.
More About the Boone and Crockett Club
Founded by Theodore Roosevelt in 1887, the Boone and Crockett Club promotes guardianship and visionary management of big game and associated wildlife in North America. The Club maintains the highest standards of fair chase sportsmanship and habitat stewardship. Member accomplishments include enlarging and protecting Yellowstone and establishing Glacier and Denali national parks, founding the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service and National Wildlife Refuge System, fostering the Pittman-Robertson and Lacey Acts, creating the Federal Duck Stamp program, and developing the cornerstones of modern game laws. The Boone and Crockett Club is headquartered in Missoula, Montana. Click here to learn more about the Boone and Crockett Club.
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